Bertolt Brecht Quotes

The human race tends to remember the abuses to which it has been subjected rather than the endearments. What's left of kisses? Wounds, however, leave scars.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Natürlich muss die Wahrheit im Kampf mit der Unwahrheit geschrieben werden und sie darf nicht etwas Allgemeines, Hohes, Vieldeutiges sein. Von dieser allgemeinen, hohen, vieldeutigen Art ist ja gerade die Unwahrheit. Wenn von einem gesagt wird, er hat die Wahrheit gesagt, so haben zunächst einige oder viele oder einer etwas anderes gesagt, eine Lüge oder etwas Allgemeines, aber er hat die Wahrheit gesagt, etwas Praktisches, Tatsächliches, Unleugbares, das, um was es sich handelte.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Unhappy the land that is in need of heroes

~ Bertolt Brecht

The compassion of the oppressed for the oppressed is indispensable. It is the world's one hope.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Corpses sour you. They are bad for objectivity.

~ Bertolt Brecht

EpitaphDen Tigern ertrann ichDie Wanzen nährte ichAufgefressen wurde ichVon den Mittelmäßigkeiten.

~ Bertolt Brecht

People who understand everything get no stories.

~ Bertolt Brecht

The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error.

~ Bertolt Brecht

We're not responsible, he thought. This planet is a temporary affair. It's whizzing with all kinds of other ones, a whole range of planetary stuff, toward a star in the Milky Way. On that kind of a planet we're not responsible, he thought.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Those who are weak don't fight.Those who are stronger might fightfor an hour.Those who are stronger still might fightfor many years.The strongest fighttheir whole life.They are the indispensable ones.

~ Bertolt Brecht

The first time it was reported that our friends were being butchered there was a cry of horror. Then a hundred were butchered. But when a thousand were butchered and there was no end to the butchery, a blanket of silence spread. When evil-doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out stop!When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer.

~ Bertolt Brecht

We attacked a foreign people and treated them like rebels. As you know, it's all right to treat barbarians barbarically. It's the desire to be barbaric that makes governments call their enemies barbarians.

~ Bertolt Brecht

The war which is comingIs not the first one. There wereOther wars before it.When the last one came to an endThere were conquerors and conquered.Among the conquered the common peopleStarved. Among the conquerorsThe common people starved too.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Sometimes I see myself driving through hell with this wagon and selling brimstone. And sometimes I’m driving through heaven handing our provisions to wandering souls! If only we could find a place where there’s no shooting, me and my children—what’s left of ‘em—we might rest a while.

~ Bertolt Brecht

The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.

~ Bertolt Brecht

If we could learn to look instead of gawking,We'd see the horror in the heart of farce,If only we could act instead of talking,We wouldn't always end up on our arse.This was the thing that nearly had us mastered;Don't yet rejoice in his defeat, you men!Although the world stood up and stopped the bastard,The bitch that bore him is in heat again.

~ Bertolt Brecht

He says he'd like to kiss the ground you walk on-reminds me, did you wash them yesterday?- and after that you're his skivvy.

~ Bertolt Brecht

And I did work out something: that the rich of the earth indeed create misery, but they cannot bear to see it. They are weaklings and fools just like you. As long as they have enough to eat and can grease their floors with butter so that even the crumbs that fall from your table grow fat, they can't look with indifference on a man collapsing from hunger - although, of course, it must be in front of their house that he collapses.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Some party hack decreed that the peoplehad lost the government's confidenceand could only regain it with redoubled effort.If that is the case, would it not be be simpler,If the government simply dissolved the peopleAnd elected another?

~ Bertolt Brecht

You may proclaim, good sirs, your fine philosophy, but till you feed us right and wrong can wait. Or is it only those who have the money who can enter the land of milk and honey?

~ Bertolt Brecht

Character is a question of time. It lasts for a certain length of time, just like a glove. There are good ones that last a long time. But they don't last forever.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Sin is what is new, strong, surprising, strange. The theatre must take an interest in sin if the young are to be able to go there.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.

~ Bertolt Brecht

For what's the use of talking with a man who has a disease and thinks about the stars?

~ Bertolt Brecht

What are you working on?” Mr. K. was asked. Mr. K. replied: “I’m having a hard time, I’m preparing my next mistake.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Carpenter: Call Shen Te, someone! She's good!Shui Ta: Certainly. She's ruined.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Such a lot is won when even a single man gets to his feet and says No

~ Bertolt Brecht

Hatred of oppression still distorts the features, Anger at injustice still makes voices raised and ugly. Oh we, who wished to lay for the foundations for peace and friendliness,Could never be friendly ourselves.

~ Bertolt Brecht

The mill wheel turns it turns forever though what is uppermost remains not so.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Intelligence is not to make no mistakes but quickly to see how to make them good.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Fearful is the seductive power of goodness.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Everyone needs help from everyone.

~ Bertolt Brecht

People are too durable that's their main trouble. They can do too much to themselves they last too long.

~ Bertolt Brecht

What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?

~ Bertolt Brecht

It isn't important to come out on top what matters is to be the one who comes out alive.

~ Bertolt Brecht

People remain what they are even when their faces fall to pieces.

~ Bertolt Brecht

It isn't important to come out on top what matters is to be the one who comes out alive.

~ Bertolt Brecht

If you join the rat race — you're in the race of rats.

~ Bertolt Brecht

Society cannot share a common communication system so long as it is split into warring factions.

~ Bertolt Brecht